1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for automated sleeve filling of a winding shaft on roll slitting and winding machines.
2. Description of the Background Art
Roll slitting and winding machines are often equipped with two winding shafts, sometimes even more, on which winding sleeves are placed, corresponding to the width of the longitudinally slit strips. Often these winding sleeves are fastened onto friction rings that are supported by the winding shaft, moving with somewhat of a lead. This lead serves to compensate for length and diameter tolerances of the winding rolls. The fastening of the sleeves on the friction rings usually takes place, as in the case of free-wheeling, by clamping elements that are activated via the torque. In the case of a standstill or slight backward rotation the empty winding sleeve can easily move axially and be positioned at the correct location corresponding to the predetermined slit widths of the strips to be slit.
Various processes and devices are known for filling the winding shafts. Two different ways for filling the winding shafts will be described in the following. It is assumed for the description that follows that in the case of roll and sleeve refilling in the stopped state, the winding shafts are solidly supported on one side, usually the drive side, and a support bearing at the other end of the winding shaft is moved away from the winding shaft to such a distance that a floating state of the winding roll develops; this pertains to the device in accordance with the invention as well as the process. A floating state is achieved, for example, when a support bearing or another bearing is removed from one end of the winding shaft so that the end of the winding shaft hangs free in the air. Thus the finished wound rolls can be slid off and the empty sleeves slid on.
In a first example the sliding off of the wound roll is accomplished manually onto a supporting belt or a supporting shaft adjacent to the winding shaft, from which the wound rolls are later removed individually. If the wound rolls are very heavy, moving them off by hand can take a great deal of effort. In such a case, so-called draw-off plates are provided on the machines; these are supported on guides that run parallel to the winding shafts and are movable by motors over threaded spindles, chains or other conveyer devices. Draw-off plates is the name given to apparatus which can be moved inward in the area of the winding roll and by means of which the winding sleeves and/or the finished wound rolls can be moved away over the winding shaft. During the winding process these plates are parked on the drive side in the free space between an outermost material edge and the machine frame. The plates are provided with a horseshoe-shaped fork piece which surrounds the respective winding shaft closely but does not make contact. In this way it is possible to ensure that the draw-off force of the plate is exerted not only against the end surface of the winding roll but also or exclusively against the end face of the winding sleeve. Telescoping, i.e., displacement of the wound strip relative to the sleeve of the winding roll due to pressing by the draw-off plate is thus avoided.
In an additional example for applying the winding sleeve, each winding sleeve individually and successively is put in place manually and slid with suitable measurement methods, for example a measurement slider or a ruler, to the winding position. Numerous auxiliary devices are customary for recognizing the correct position: from a hand-marked line through an applied ruler or a measuring tape that can be pulled out, as described in DE 101 55 133 A1, wherein the measuring tape can also be designed with digital indication of the position, all the way to laser light dots—various methods are known and conventionally employed.
The drawbacks of these procedures are obvious, since these operating modes are not economical; they can only be justified when the number of rolls per winding, which is also called a lifter, is not too large; and the poor economy point is about 12 rolls and two winding shafts.
In the case of small slit widths, generally linked with a larger number of winding rolls, the use of so-called core boxes is usual. Core boxes are groove-shaped half shells with semicircular chambers in which the empty winding sleeves are placed. As a result of the chambers, the sleeves are positioned at an exact right angle to the axis of rotation. The chamber distance also corresponds exactly to the slit width. Often the core boxes are also provided with upper half shells (half boxes) that can be moved into and out of position, so that the empty winding sleeves are supported and secured all around. These core boxes with inserted sleeves are carried manually or by devices and shoved onto each winding shaft over a free end. Now all winding sleeves have the correct distance from one another. After opening the upper half box, the lower core box is first removed radially and then axially from the winding range. The solution using core boxes is operationally reliable. However, each slit width requires a core box made specifically for it. Thus core boxes mainly come under consideration only for standard widths, for example in the case of adhesive tape rolls.